Following a whole food, plant-based diet is a great way to show your digestive system some love, but even those following the strictest vegan diet can have problems passing stools from time to time. The reasons for this are plentiful – and we’ll touch on some of the causes later on – but it led to me wondering what the best probiotic for constipation was…and here we are!

Naturally, all of the products listed in our review section below are suitable for vegans, but they also work great for vegetarians and everyone else, too. However, before we get into the different options available, let’s take a closer look at some of the causes of this common and uncomfortable condition.

What causes constipation?

Constipation is a condition that can affect anyone; from the smallest of babies, right through to the elderly. As common as the problem is, defining the exact cause is nigh on impossible as there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the condition occurring.

Some of the contributing factors are diet related, but not all. This is one of the reasons why vegans can still suffer with constipation, despite the fact that they’re consuming foods that are high in fiber.

Of course, there’s also the issue of an increasing amount of vegan junk food hitting our shelves as well. While you may be doing the right thing by our animal buddies, eating these products can often mean you’re doing wrong by your gut!

Non-dietary causes

So, if you’re getting your fill of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and cereals via your vegan diet but are still having difficulty passing stools, what’s the problem? It could be any number of things, but your constipation may be caused by one of the following:

Not taking on board enough fluids throughout the day

Some pharmaceutical medication may produce side effects that include constipation

Weight issues; being both under or overweight can have an impact on your ability to pass stools properly

Changing your routine, things such as flying into different time zones or radically switching diet can all have an effect

Not getting enough regular exercise

Holding in stools when you feel as though you need to pass them, usually caused by not wanting to use public bathrooms

Not having enough privacy when using the bathroom

Having a viral infection or running a high temperature

Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety

However, in some instances, a diagnosis known as Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) is given to patients. The term “idiopathic” is important in this context, as its shows that the cause is unknown and not directly related to any medication or other underlying medical condition, proving that constipation can be a mystifying condition.

New vegans can sometimes suffer with constipation

Point four in the list above is particularly pertinent to new vegans. Making the switch too quickly can cause constipation, bloating and gas, as the sudden increase in fiber can disrupt the natural flora in the gut.

While you may be excited by the prospect of going fully vegan as quickly as possible, it’s sometimes advisable to ease into things rather than diving straight in. Making a slower transition will allow your body to adjust and lessen the likelihood of experiencing problems with digestion.

So, if new vegan constipation is caused by the ingestion of too much fiber, it makes sense to find out why that is. Let’s take a look at how fiber works!

The two types of fiber and their roles in digestive health

People often get disheartened when they start eating more plant-based foods but still suffer with constipation. Plants are supposed to be rich in fiber, right? Fiber is supposed to get things moving, right? Correct on both counts, but there’s a little more to it than that.

Fiber is actually split into two different types: soluble and insoluble. The soluble kind is found in the soft parts of oats, legumes, veggies and fruits, and it’s this kind of fiber that draws in water. This, in turn, creates a gel like substance which slows the movement of the food through the digestive tract, allowing your gut to extract all the goodness (i.e. the minerals and vitamins) via absorption.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, is found in the skins of plant-based foods and it quickens your digestion. The reason for this is to aid in the elimination of waste from the body, freeing it from toxins.

A whole food, plant-based diet is naturally very high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, so you’d think they’d work together and give us a perfectly balanced digestive system, but that isn’t always the case. Perhaps counterintuitively, problems can occur when we get too much fiber.

Consuming too much fiber can actually have an adverse effect, causing symptoms such as bloating and constipation to occur. Why? Because introducing too much fiber into you diet can mess with your guts bacterial equilibrium, and bacteria is an essential part of our digestive system.

The gut’s bacteria helps us break down what we eat, giving the body the chance to both use whatever nutrients are found within our food and dispose of whatever’s left. So, disrupting the bacteria in our gut by consuming too much fiber can cause our bodies to stop breaking down our food effectively, which then causes the digestive system to start backing up.

Some people, however, may find that they suffer with diarrhoea rather constipation when ingesting more fiber than they need, but either symptom is indicative of a degree of imbalance in the gut.

Got it. So, how much fiber should we be getting?

Despite us discussing the downsides to consuming too much fiber, the problem really is that far too many people in the US (and the West in general) aren’t getting anywhere near enough fiber.

In fact, according to a study undertaken by the USDA back in 2005, less than five per cent of the American population are hitting the adequate intake targets for fiber, and the likelihood is that things have gotten worse since then!

Current guidelines state that we should be getting around 14g of dietary fiber for every 1,000 kcal we take on board each day. This equates to 38g for men, 25g for women.

However, many respected physicians, including the likes of Dr. Mercola, recommend as much as 50g of dietary fiber per 1,000 kcals. What I would recommend is that you work your way up the fiber scale gradually until you find a level that’s right for you.

Make sure you are hitting the guideline amounts at a minimum, but if you feel comfortable increasing the amount of fiber you’re eating, and aren’t suffering any ill effects, try increasing intake slowly to get up to the heights that Dr. Mercola thinks we should all be getting.

Should we forget constipation probiotics and just get more fiber?

It’s a valid point, and getting the correct amount of fiber should be our priority. As with all supplements, they are designed to be an addition to, not a replacement for, a balanced and healthy diet.

Adding natural ingredients into our diet such as organic whole husk psyllium can be a huge help. Not only is it a fantastic source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, it’s also a prebiotic in itself…and a pretty inexpensive one, too.

However, it’s important to pay that little bit extra for the organic variety, as psyllium is an extremely heavily sprayed crop, and you certainly don’t want to be ingesting any nasty pesticides if you can avoid them.

That being said, even if your diet is good, there is still a place for daily probiotics. Almost everyone has consumed antibiotics in one form or another these days, be it through medical treatment or via animal products we’ve eaten in the past, so boosting the beneficial bacteria in our guts is still a good idea.

Can probiotics cause constipation?

As with pretty much every single subject on earth, the Internet has arguments both for and against the use of probiotics for constipation. There are even some articles online that suggest probiotics cause constipation, but it’s important to note that there’s no medical research to back these claims up.

As we’ve already seen, there are numerous ways in which we can become constipated, so it could be that the authors of such articles were taking probiotics while other things were going on in their lives. As probiotic supplements often come in tablet form, it can be easy to lay the blame at their door before examining other areas of concern.

However, if you prefer science backed evidence rather than hearsay, rest assured that there hasn’t yet been a clinical study that cites probiotics as a cause for constipation.

But, will probiotics help with constipation?

Ah, the million dollar question! Probiotics can certainly help relieve constipation, but not always. It’s important to remember that we’re all individuals, so what works wonders for one of us may have absolutely no effect whatsoever for someone else.

Probiotics are definitely not a silver bullet for constipation and should not be treated as such. As we always say here at Happy Happy Vegan, diet is the priority. Pills and potions have their place, but only in tandem with a healthy, balanced diet coupled with a good exercise regime.

Probiotics for constipation: Which species work best?

As we’ve already touched upon, it’s often an imbalance within the gut that causes it to misbehave. Probiotics can help with constipation, bloating and gas as they may actually bring that balance back – providing you’re taking the correct types.

Knowing which bacteria already exist within the digestive system is essential to successfully relieving constipation with probiotics. While there are billions (literally, billions!) of bacteria inside our guts, we can narrow things down to a few types that will be beneficial to our specific needs.

The two main names to look out for when choosing a probiotic for constipation are Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. These two ‘species’ are the most prevalent within a healthy large intestine, so it stands to reason that these are going to be the most beneficial in our quest to relieve constipation with probiotics.

That being said, most people find that a combination of probiotic species will work best in combatting constipation. Taking just one in isolation would run the risk of missing out on the benefits another species may bring.

Then there are the different strains of each species to take into account. Just some of the clinically researched Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains you can expect to see when buying probiotics for constipation include, but are not limited to, the following:

Bifidobacterium longum

Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus

Lactobacillus casei shirota

Bifidobacterium lactis

Lactobacillus plantarum

Bifidobacterium infantis

Bifidobacterium animalis

Finding the best probiotic for constipation

So, if we’re all individuals and there’s no guarantee that a probiotic which relieves constipation in one person will help us get over our complaint, how on earth do we find the right probiotic for us? Good question, but the answer is relatively unsurprising – testing.

All the research in the world won’t come anywhere near actually trying products for yourself. The problem is that most people simply start taking a probiotic without giving any thought to how they are going to monitor what’s happening. But, we’re smarter than that…right?

In order to get a handle on what’s going on when you start taking a new product, grab a pen and notepad and keep track of the following:

Date you begin taking the probiotic

Your weight on day one. This will allow you to monitor any weight loss once the constipation eases

Current bowel activity levels, then daily movements (if any)

Current symptoms. For example, are you constipated, feeling gassy, bloated stomach, etc.

What your overall health is like other than the constipation; note any fevers, viruses, headaches, etc.

Keep track of the amount of probiotics you are taking each day

Make a note of when you are taking them; pay close attention to the proximity of taking the probiotic to when you eat

Any other pertinent information you think may be useful when consulting your notes later

Remember, probiotics can take a little while to start working, so tracking this information is important. Even if you think you’ll remember everything, having it down on paper removes any doubt.

Best probiotic for constipation reviews

Now that we know a little more about the symptoms and causes, it’s high time we looked at the products available on the market today. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the our best probiotic for constipation reviews.

Naturenetics Flora Pro-Health

With five different specially selected probiotic strains from the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, Naturenetics Flora Pro-Health is ideally suited to those who are looking to relieve constipation issues with a probiotic supplement.

Naturenetics have crammed 30 billion Colony Forming Units (CFUs) into each capsule (no, we don’t who counts them either!) and they clearly state the product is both vegan and gluten free. There’s even a prominent 100% money back guarantee, should you not be happy with the results you get from this daily probiotic.

It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that some reports state that any daily probiotic with over 10 billion CFUs may not be suitable for regular daily use, unless you are taking them for a specific complaint. Therefore, it may be worth re-evaluating your probiotic after your constipation has been alleviated if you are concerned about this.

Another tick in the pros box is the fact that Naturenetics Flora Pro-Health doesn’t require refrigeration. While this may not seem like too big of a deal, it is extremely useful if you ever need to take your probiotics out of the home. Some other probiotics with high CFU counts need constant refrigeration, making them inconvenient for those who travel regularly for work or pleasure.

Each pill is individually wrapped within a blister pack, which is great for longevity and stability. However, it does mean increased packaging, so there’s good and bad here.

Every batch of Flora Pro-Health goes through laboratory testing by an independent third party to ensure both strength and quality are maintained and Naturenetics publishes the results of these tests.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that Flora Pro-health Probiotics claims of restoring the balance of health promoting bacteria in the gut have not been evaluated by the FDA. That being said, the company themselves make this very clear and in no way try to hide this.

Tropical Holistic’s Acidophilus Probiotic with MAKTrek

Tropical Holistic’s probiotic offering is actually marketed as being perfect for men and women suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), digestion and constipation problems, as well as yeast and immune system difficulties.

Another monster dose (40 billion, in this case) of good bacteria, which, again, may be beneficial if you’re looking for the best probiotic for IBS with constipation, but might not be ideal for regular, daily usage.

This probiotic has the MAKTrek Delivery System, helping protect the live probiotic bacteria from the acid found within our stomachs. This is important as the living bacteria needs to reach the intestine alive for the probiotic to be effective.

A good probiotic and constipation relieving combination of bacteria can be found within these capsules, but I do have concerns over the fact that the product ships in a bottle rather than individually sealed blister packs. The manufacturer also recommends refrigeration on the back of the packaging if you want to maintain potency, so may not be the best choice for anyone who’s frequently on the move.

One thing that has set off some alarm bells is the fact that the vast majority of reviews on this product are from unverified purchasers. Couple this with the overly ‘salesy’ pitch in the product description and you can’t help but question the legitimacy of their claims. For the record, though, at the time of writing all the verified purchaser reviews are good and all have awarded the product five stars.

B4B Probiotic

Unlike the other products we’ve already seen in our look at probiotic for constipation and bloating, B4B (short for Basics 4 Balance) doesn’t try to wow us with their CFU count. However, don’t let the fact that there are fewer CFUs in this product fool you, it’s still a potent product, and one that is very highly regarded by its fans.

DDS-1, the L. acidophilus strain used in B4B Probiotic, has years of testing behind it and has been repeatedly studied by scientists. Their results have been published in medical journals across the world and the probiotic is widely recognised as being very stable indeed.

B4B’s probiotic needs to be taken three times each day, which is far from ideal, but if it brings the results you’re looking for I guess that’s a small price to pay. I’m just terrible at remembering to take supplements outside of when I first get up or just before I go to bed!

One benefit of taking the recommended dosage is that you won’t need to refrigerate the probiotic as the manufacturer states that the bacteria will remain “live” over that length of time. Less frequent usage does, however, require refrigeration. The suggested use on the label states that as many as six can be taken each day, but things could get pricey if you continue with this for any length of time.

So, can this probiotic help constipation? Well, it’s certainly marketed as such, and with the tagline, “get things moving” you’d be well within your rights to ask for a refund if it doesn’t!

BioGanix BIOPRO-50 Probiotic

As the name suggests, BIOPRO-50 has a staggering 50 billion live cultures per capsule, making it one of the most potent probiotics on the market today (in terms of CFUs, at least).

The eleven different strains of probiotic found in BIOPRO-50 include many bacteria thought to be beneficial when it comes to relieving constipation. Many verified purchasers state that their constipation has been alleviated, but not all, proving that probiotics are very much an individual choice.

BIOPRO-50 has a legion of fans who report relief from other gastrointestinal issues such as gas and bloating, and some are even having success with weight loss as well thanks to improved GI tract function. However, as with all high CFU probiotics, there are concerns over taking such high amounts on a regular basis.

Capsules are of an average size and easy to swallow. Unfortunately, like so many other probiotics, they ship in one bottle and are not individually packed. This can affect the potency of the probiotic over time (especially when not refrigerated), although BioGanix claims that their formula has an extra-long lifespan which helps the living bacteria stay alive and healthy longer than other probiotic brands on the market.

However, I’m always torn over the extra plastic that come with blister packs, as I’m constantly trying to lessen the amount of packaging I bring into my home. Providing the manufacturer’s claims of stability throughout the shelf-life of the product are true, single bottles may be the better way to go. It’s a tough call.

BIOPRO-50 contains a scFOS (short-chain fructooligosaccharide) that goes by the name of NutraFlora. The presence of FOS is always a little concerning as studies on the health benefits of taking FOS are far from conclusive.

Some studies show that scFOS can help with constipation, while others say it can aggravate conditions such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). On the whole, I’d rather get my prebiotics from whole foods rather than a synthetic FOS, but it’s really a matter of personal choice. That being said, NutraFlora is widely regarded as one of the purest scFOSs available.

One thing I really like is the company itself. Whenever I contacted them, BioGanix were quick to answer questions and very helpful, which gives you peace of mind when purchasing a product such as this.

LeBlanc WellBeing’s Probiotic-DF

LeBlanc WellBeing’s Probiotic-DF offers an eight strain formula that tackles imbalances within the gut, thus helping to relieve constipation in some cases. With five billion CFUs in each capsule, Probiotic-DF may appear to be less potent than other probiotics on the market, but users have returned good testimonials in relation to GI problems such as constipation, bloating, gas and diarrhoea.

Thanks to its lower CFU count, this particular product is safe for children over the age of 4, adults and seniors, which is handy if you only want to have one bottle of probiotics in the home rather than different products for each age range. The suggested use is one capsule for kids, two for adults, and three for seniors. For adults, this dosage makes Probiotic-DF one of the cheaper options available as there are 120 capsules in each bottle.

However, for effective constipation relief, a higher dose may initially be needed before lowering to the recommended amount. As ever, please consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, medication or supplementation regime.

Another benefit of having fewer CFUs is the fact that you can take these regularly without any concerns (providing they are working for you, of course). Not having to chop and change probiotics can be beneficial to some users as their gut will not have to adjust to the different bacteria each time they switch brands.

Probiotic-DF’s formula appears to be very good for those sensitive to allergens, making it the ideal choice for anyone who has suffered skin rashes or outbreaks in the past when taking probiotics. LeBlanc WellBeing recommend that their product is kept refrigerated once opened, so keep that in mind if you are likely to be travelling.

Our list of the best probiotics for constipation has come to an end, hopefully you find one that helps you out. Just to reiterate, it’s always important to consult your healthcare provider before changing your supplements or anything else connected to your personal wellbeing. Good luck!

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